Insulator-clamping device.



j" M. BROWN.

-INSULATORCLAMPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 1m. 4, :sre.

1,236,668. Patented Aug. 1

' 25 WITNESSES: INVENTOR jg d Jameg /M. Brew;-

W o-e/ZLL/ 7 "OQMA/ ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. BROWN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTBIQ AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TNSULATOR-CLAMPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

Application filed January 4, 1916. Serial No. 70,260.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. BRcm/N, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Insulator- Clamping Devices, of-which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to insulator-clamp ing devices and particularly to devices that are adapted to securely clamp conducting members to insulating members.

The object of my invention, is to provide an insulator-clamping device of the above indicated character that shall permit the use of an insulator of minimum size to withstand a predetermined shearing strain.

I provide a clamping device for an insulator that is adapted to engage, and to be clamped to, the outer surface only of the outer flange of the insulator. The clamping device is provided with an inwardly-extending flange at its inner end that is adapted to extend into the groove behind the flanged portion of the insulator to preclude undue longitudinal movement of the clamping member with respect to the insulator. With such an arrangement the shearingmovement of the insulator is resisted by the entire cross section and not alone by the height of the flange, as would be the case if the clamping forcefwere applied along the groove instead of along the outer surface of the flange.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is an elevational view of an insulator of the petticoat type that'is provided with a clamping device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an elevational View of an insulator of the post type. that is .provided with modified forms of clamping devices embodying my invention; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one type of clamping device shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the clamping device shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, an insulator 1 comprises a base member 2 and a plurality of petticoats 3 the upper one of which is provided with a flange portion 4 that is separated from the main body portion 3 by r'i annular groove 5. A clamping device 6 comprises two substantially semi-circular members 7 and 8 having inturned lower edges 9 and 10 and supporting arms 11 and 12. The arms 11 and 12 are provided with positioning blocks 13 that are adapted to grip a conductor 14 or any other similar member, and bolts 15 are provided for clampmg the blocks to the conductor. The edges 9v and 10 project into the groove 5 but not to the bottom of it. Bolts 16 are adapted to cooperate with laterally-extending projections 1 on the clamping members 8 and 7 for the purpose of securing the same to the periphcry of the flange 4. That is, the securing means is adapted to be so applied to the pe riphery of the flange 4 that, if the conductor 14 is placed under tension because of a side pull thereon, the shearing strain upon the insulator is distributed throughout the transverse cross section of the flange 4.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, an insulator 18 of. the post type is provided with a plurality of flanges the upper and lower ones of which have substantially parallel sides. The lower flange 19 is secured to a base member 20 by clamps 21 and 22 that are provided with inwardly-extending edges 23 and 24, respectively. The edges 28 and 24 project into a groove 25 of the insulator but not to the bottom of it. Thus, the insulator 18 is clamped to the base member 20 by clamps 21 and 22 the clamping force of which is applied to the entire transverse cross section of the insulator 17 and not merely to the portions shown bythe broken lines 26, which would be the case if the clamping force were applied through the edges 23 and 24.

The upper flange 27 of the insulator 18 is surrounded by two clamping members 28 and 29 having downwardly-extending portions and inwardly-turned edges 30 that project into the groove 31 but not to its bottom. The members 28. and 29 are also provided with outwardly-projecting cars 32 and 33, respectively, to which a plate 34 having contact members 35 may be secured by bolts and nuts 36 and 37, respectively. The contact members 35 are adapted to receive a bus-bar 38 or any other similar member. The members 28 and 29 are also provided with projections 39 to receivebolts 40 for the purpose of securing the clamp to the insulator 18. The sides of the members 28 and 29 are made relatively long for the purpose of permitting a small longitudinal movement of the same tension in case the bus-bar 38 is moved upwardly. However,

the members 28 and 29 are so clamped to the insulator 18 that the clamping force is applied to the periphery only of the flange 27. This prevents the shearing of the flange along the broken lines 451, which would be the case if the clamping force were applied through the edges 30.

While I have shown my invention in its preferred form it will be understood that it is not so limited, as it is capable of various modifications withinthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with an insulator having a flange and a groove at one of its ends, of a two-part clamping device having projections adapted to extend into the groove, and means for securing the two parts of the clamping device together and to the outer surface only of the flange.

2. The combination with an insulator having a flange and a groove at one of its ends, of a clamping device having projections adapted to extend into the groove, and means for securing the clamping device to the periphery only of the flange.

3. The combination with an insulator having a flange and an annular groove at one of its ends, of a clamping device having an inwardly-extending flange at its inner end that is adapted to normally extend into the annular groove, the clamping device being secured to the outer surface only of the flange.

4. The combination with an insulator having a flange at one of its ends, of a clamping device having an inwardly-extending flange at its inner end, and means for securing the clamping device to the outer surface only of the flange on the insulator.

5. The combination with an insulator having a flange at one of its ends, of a clamping device having an inwardly-extending flange that is adapted to be disposed behind the flanged portion of the insulator, and means for securing the clampingdevice to the periphery only of the flange on the insulator.

6. The combination. with an insulator having a flange at one of its ends. of a clamping device having projections thereon that are disposed behind the flange, and means for securing the clamping device to the outer surface only of the flange on the insulator.

7. The combination with ar. insulator having a flange at one of its ends, of a clamping device having projections thereon. at its inner end, and means for securing the clamping device to the outer surface only of the flange on the insulator.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 81st day of Dec.

JAMES M. BROWN. 

